Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Hi Tom,
Could you elaborate briefly on how the polar nature of esters is the reason for their low volatility and cleanliness?
Are some esters more polar than others?
Being electonegative, presumably the only metal they are attracted to are ferrous in nature? No attraction to aluminium alloys?
Esters have a positive and negative charge (polar) and as such they are attracted to each other. This intermolecular attraction requires more energy (heat) for the molecules to change from a liquid phase to a vapor phase, thus lowering the vapor pressure and volatility at a given temperature, while raising the flash point. For example, a 4 cSt POE has a Noack of 6% and a flash point of 480°F while a 4 cSt PAO has a Noack of 13% and a flash point of 425°F.
As for cleanliness, their polar nature makes esters good solvents which allows them to solubilize certain existing deposits and prevent new deposits by dissolving or dispersing degradation by products. There is a wide range of polarity among esters depending on the molecular weight, number of ester linkages, and branching. The attraction to metal surfaces is stronger with positively charged metals and alloys.
Tom NJ
Hi Tom,
Could you elaborate briefly on how the polar nature of esters is the reason for their low volatility and cleanliness?
Are some esters more polar than others?
Being electonegative, presumably the only metal they are attracted to are ferrous in nature? No attraction to aluminium alloys?
Esters have a positive and negative charge (polar) and as such they are attracted to each other. This intermolecular attraction requires more energy (heat) for the molecules to change from a liquid phase to a vapor phase, thus lowering the vapor pressure and volatility at a given temperature, while raising the flash point. For example, a 4 cSt POE has a Noack of 6% and a flash point of 480°F while a 4 cSt PAO has a Noack of 13% and a flash point of 425°F.
As for cleanliness, their polar nature makes esters good solvents which allows them to solubilize certain existing deposits and prevent new deposits by dissolving or dispersing degradation by products. There is a wide range of polarity among esters depending on the molecular weight, number of ester linkages, and branching. The attraction to metal surfaces is stronger with positively charged metals and alloys.
Tom NJ